A leader trusts team members to make decisions and supports their choices. This illustrates which value?

• A. Empower
• B. Trust
• C. Connect
• D. Protect

Answer: (A)

Empowerment is the idea at play here: giving people the authority to make decisions and backing them as they act on those decisions. When a leader trusts team members to decide and supports whatever choices they make, it creates genuine ownership and confidence to take initiative. That combination—delegating decision-making power and standing behind the team— captures empowerment most directly.

Trust is closely related, since believing in others is part of the dynamic, but the focus in this scenario is on enabling action and ownership, not just believing in someone. Connect is about building relationships and collaboration, which is broader than the act of giving autonomy. Protect centers on safeguarding people or projects, which isn’t the main point of empowering someone to decide and act.